Chapter 345: The Breaker

The sudden news froze Li Zhao Wen's expression; she staggered slightly, then shot forward, raised her hand to halt the soldier's wounds, lifted him up, and asked, "What happened?!"

The cavalry officer had broken through the encirclement, his body riddled with wounds, clutching a silk scroll stained with bloodied characters: "The Duke and many officers were patrolling our Great Ying's border when they were besieged by the combined armies of Dawa and Dashi beyond Yumen Pass."

"Of the forty-two cities once loyal to Great Ying, some rebelled, some fell; now only two remain. The Duke holds one city with his troops; I and a dozen other riders broke out—only I survived."

"Before we left, after fierce fighting, the city's soldiers and civilians numbered no more than a hundred thousand."

"The enemy coalition now fields ten thousand elite troops."

As he spoke, the cavalry officer spat blood, his face as pale as gold paper: "Second Young Master, hurry to aid the Duke! I don't know what's happened in the Western Regions—these Dawa, Yueshi, and other states have gone mad."

His voice faded into silence. Li Zhao Wen checked his breath—his injuries, the relentless ride, the taut nerves—had finally snapped now that the message was delivered; his spirit loosened, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.

Li Zhao Wen summoned others to take the fierce officer away to rest.

To force his way out at the Third Heaven Realm level was not just bravery but luck—the result of staking his life and fortune, a true hero. Li Zhao Wen's expression remained calm as she turned to Li Guanyi:

"Brother Li, the matter we discussed—playing the qin, chatting, debating the world—must be postponed."

"Please rest for a moment. Your elder brother is surely already anxious."

Li Zhao Wen still managed to appear composed, but she swiftly stepped out, her pace far quicker than usual; she accidentally knocked over a redwood ornament by the path, shattering the porcelain vase atop it.

Li Zhao Wen stared at the object, her gaze sharpening; she pressed her lips together and hurried away.

Left behind, Li Guanyi used the 【Imperial Supreme Classic】 to heal the brave cavalryman, then bent to pick up a shard of fine porcelain. The winds of the Western Regions stirred before his eyes.

Holding the porcelain shard, he murmured:

"... Among the thirty-six Western Regions tribes, there are also sharp and fierce men."

"They must have seen that Ying cannot allow the Yu Langwang to exterminate the Tangxiang. For Ying, the ideal scenario is for Tangxiang to endure, keeping the Western Regions perpetually chaotic."

"For Jiang Su and Jiang Wanxiang, the fate of the Western Regions determines the future course of the world."

"But for the thirty-six Western Regions tribes, isn't it the same..."

"They seek to trap, even kill, the Duke of the Western Regions Duke's Mansion, crush Ying's influence there, and simplify the region's situation—so their coalition and the Yu Langwang can clash and eliminate Tangxiang."

"Bold enough."

Li Guanyi paused, dropped the porcelain shard, and said:

"All under heaven are drawing blades and fighting for their own positions."

"This thing must be expensive."

"A pity."

Li Guanyi's mind wandered aimlessly as he set the shard down. The entire Duke's Mansion, even Xiyicheng, was now taut with tension. He returned to the guest quarters, 【Luoxia Courtyard】, and pondered how to proceed.

The Western Regions tribes and the Ying Duke each had their own reasons and goals.

Pure motives don't imply one is higher than another.

But Li Guanyi and Li Zhao Wen are allies, and he has a three-year pact with Jiang Wanxiang; for him, he stands with Li Zhao Wen. Yet, if the coalition's ten thousand elite are merely second-tier troops, it's one thing—if they're of Qie Xie Army caliber...

The weight becomes entirely different.

This time, the Western Regions warlords were determined to sever Ying's influence.

Only thus could they influence the rising storms of the world.

Ten thousand fierce warriors of the coalition—Li Guanyi's Anxi City couldn't match them. He must outwit, not overpower. His mind stirred, conjuring strategies, yet each lacked something.

He suddenly recalled the three silk pouches Breaker had given him before leaving.

Li Guanyi pulled out a pouch marked with the character 【One】.

Inside was a letter.

In Breaker's familiar handwriting, it read as if the strategist stood beside him, personally discussing the grand situation of the Western Regions:

"If the Lord opens this letter, trouble has arisen. What I've seen of the Western Regions from within Anxi City is but a corner, yet enough to glimpse the whole."

"Xiyicheng has suddenly imposed restrictions on us—I suspect it has encountered some crisis. The entire storm of the Western Regions now hinges on the Yu Langwang alone; if the Yu Langwang moves, Ying's power will surely suffer. With General Jiang Su, it's impossible he hasn't seen this."

"If my guess is correct, the Duke has already received orders and led most of Xiyicheng's troops on patrol. The Western Regions warlords will not miss this chance."

"For the Western Regions, they refuse to become pawns in the Central Plains' game."

"Thus, their desperate effort to sever Ying's grip is only natural."

"Though Xiyicheng is a frontier post, it carries a strict order: a significant garrison must remain. The Duke likely took several ten thousand men on patrol; what remains is mostly garrison commanders, and other generals probably don't wish to march out and die now."

"Ying's situation has turned dire—but it is precisely our chance to profit."

The text was plain, containing not a single question.

In this plain narration, the familiar confidence and boldness of Breaker shone through.

One could almost see the strategist, calm and unruffled, saying: "My strategies are all the best!"

The ancients said the supreme strategists could predict the world's shifts without leaving their rooms.

Breaker was such a one.

Other strategists surpassed him in their specialties.

But none possessed this ability.

Wen Lingjun excelled in grand strategy but lacked Wen He's insight into human nature; Wen He understood the people's hearts but couldn't match Yuan Zhi's mastery of military tactics.

Breaker possessed all these abilities, each slightly inferior to the others, yet combined in one man, they allowed him to wield greater power when facing world-shaking change.

"Lord, I have a plan."

"It will preserve your bond with Li Zhao Wen, honor our alliance, recover supplies, weapons, and arrows, and even earn gratitude from Li Jianwen. I'll outline the broad direction—then you may act as the moment demands..."

Breaker detailed the strategy.

Li Guanyi's eyes lowered slightly.

………………

Li Jianwen could no longer control his emotions.

His father was trapped, surrounded along with many of Beicheng's fiercest officers, the enemy deploying ten thousand troops. As the eldest son, he was frantic—but the city had few troops left to deploy, and the officers available were all garrison commanders.

These remaining troops are to face a hundred thousand fierce warriors from the Western Regions.

It's practically a death sentence.

But the central plains are currently deadlocked, and the distance is too great; if he appeals to the capital for reinforcements, by the time troops arrive, his father's corpse may already be cold. All this pressure weighed upon him, leaving bloodshot eyes.

Beside him, his third brother's expression was also tense. "Father may be in serious trouble this time…"

"But, Big Brother, you must not act rashly."

"If this incident ends only with Father's death, that's one thing. But if you move the remaining troops out, Xiyicheng's defenses will be hollow. If more Western barbarians come with armies and seize the city, our entire family will be executed."

"Under this situation, all nine clans are in danger."

Li Jianwen said: "So we just watch as Father is trapped inside the city?!"

"I've already sent out a plea for aid, but reinforcements won't arrive for at least two months!"

His third brother, Li Yuanchang, said: "At least that's better than losing the city and being wiped out. If Father knew you did this, even in death he'd wish to kill you with his own hands. Father would never want this to happen."

He added: "Worst case, Father dies a loyal subject, and you become Duke."

Li Jianwen froze, then erupted in rage, unable to control his fury—he slapped Li Yuanchang across the face.

"How dare you!"

The blow was brutal, even using the back of his hand and knuckles to strike. Li Yuanchang's face swelled red instantly. Li Jianwen's eyes blazed—this was the first time his fury had made Li Yuanchang feel afraid. Li Jianwen said:

"Father's fate is still unknown, yet you speak such treasonous words."

"If there's a next time, I'll execute you by family law myself."

Li Yuanchang's lips trembled. He whispered: "I won't dare again."

A voice shouted: "Second Young Master arrives!!"

Li Jianwen had always found his sharp, elegant second sister annoying—but now he felt a surge of hope. He abandoned Li Yuanchang and strode toward her.

Li Yuanchang's eyes darkened with venom.

Li Jianwen saw Li Zhaowen stride in, now clad in military armor. "Second Young Master, you've heard the news. I've appealed to the Jiang State Master, but we can't weaken the city's defenses. What do we do?!"

Li Zhaowen said: "I came for precisely this reason."

"Big Brother, how many troops can we still mobilize?"

Li Jianwen said: "Father took most of them. Excluding the minimum needed for city defense, we have barely three thousand combat-ready soldiers."

Li Zhaowen said: "The enemy is overwhelming. Sending only three thousand is like throwing an egg against a stone—it'll make them think we truly lack strength, and reveal our true weakness."

Li Yuanchang sneered: "So you've still got nothing useful to say—just empty words…"

Suddenly, he felt icy cold. His sister—who had always ignored his outbursts with a laugh—now stood beside her sword, gazing at him. Her piercing eyes seemed veiled in dark clouds.

A golden vertical mark on her brow made her pupils glow faintly gold.

Then came a sharp crack.

Li Zhaowen's sword pressed directly against Li Yuanchang's forehead.

"The city is now under wartime conditions."

"If you speak again with insolence, sarcasm, or undermine morale—"

"... Beware."

Li Yuanchang's face paled. Li Zhaowen turned to Li Jianwen and said:

"Big Brother, there's still a chance. They've surrounded Father because they fear Great Ying. But they dare do this because they believe Great Ying is tied down by the Tujue and Chen states, unable to send troops."

"They think we're too rushed to respond quickly—that's why they dared to use the combined forces of the Western tribes against Father."

"What they fear is here. We must strike here!"

The girl pressed her sword onto the table, her brow raised, her gaze calm:

"We need no troops. Their fear is our army. Great Ying's legendary prestige is our army. Their commanders' uncertainty and doubt—those are our army."

"Give me the reserve civilians. By day, stretch banners for miles without end. By night, sound drums and gongs in unison. The enemy will believe reinforcements have arrived in force and flee in panic. This siege will break. Otherwise, outnumbered, Father is in peril, the enemy attacks our city, and we cannot hold."

"If this city falls, the fate of the realm will shift with it."

"Our family and nation will fall because of us!"

Her solemn bearing revealed the vast tide of the realm's destiny—the only possible way to win against odds and save Father. Li Jianwen opened his mouth, and for the first time, he felt with crystal clarity the chasm between himself and his sister.

The gap was this immense.

Even resentment or bitterness could not rise in him—only the crushing despair of an ordinary man facing a genius. He opened his mouth—when suddenly, heavy, deliberately loud footsteps echoed from outside.

Li Jianwen turned.

There stood the trader in brown woolen robes, his black hair tied in a tail, unbound by Central Plains etiquette, his dark eyes smiling with cunning, shrewd, impoverished, nearly obsessed with gold—the man called Tian Ge'er.

Li Jianwen, weary and too drained to argue with this trader who always cried poverty, said: "You've come again—still claiming you have no money?"

Li Guanyi said: "Indeed."

He strode forward. "I've heard the Duke was ambushed and trapped. As Jishitong Alliance, I naturally offer aid."

Li Guanyi lifted his gaze slightly. "A feint alone may intimidate, but if the Western warlords refuse to retreat, danger remains."

"Better to weave a chain of stratagems—for greater safety."

Li Yuanchang, spoiled and capricious, had just been scolded by his brother and sister. Now seeing a mere penniless trader dare intrude, his temper flared. He snapped:

"You're just a wandering merchant—what do you know of troops?!"

"The Duke's household discusses matters—what are you, to eavesdrop here?!"

He shouted, ready to summon guards to throw him out.

Li Guanyi glanced at him.

Li Yuanchang felt his heart lurch violently.

An indescribable pressure descended. He looked up, his heartbeat accelerating—as if crushed by invisible force, the edges of his vision darkened.

Before him, his sister in brocade robes and the trader in Western garb stood side by side, their expressions unreadable—yet their eyes glowed faintly golden, like dragon and phoenix, watching him silently, the pressure piling layer upon layer.

Li Yuanchang could not speak, already drenched in sweat.

Li Guanyi turned his gaze away; the natural aura of a hundred battles dispersed, and he smiled:

"I am indeed merely a wandering merchant, but I am also an ally bound by treaty with the Duke, and these past days I have handled several matters for the Duke's household. Should the Duke need aid, I will lend it."

"Xiyicheng is a mighty pass of the realm, with its own arrows, armor, and grain—but now, imperial orders forbid rash mobilization. Meanwhile, my Anxi City has armored archers, yet lacks funds, provisions, and armor."

"Then let us follow the Young Master's suggestion."

"Send emissaries from here to transport military supplies: by day, banners stretch for dozens of li without end; by night, drums and gongs echo in response. Meanwhile, my Anxi City will dispatch a large army with identical display, and finally, we converge."

"Then we can send out an army."

This strategy was somewhat more reliable than Li Zhaowen's.

It was proposed by Li Guanyi after learning of Li Zhaowen's plan, based on the General's secret pouch.

Li Jianwen asked: "How many men can you spare?"

Li Guanyi replied: "More than ten thousand."

Li Jianwen's expression twisted in struggle, then he said: "Fine!"

Under these circumstances, Li Guanyi's willingness to send troops was like charcoal in snow—Li Jianwen felt a flicker of goodwill toward this cunning merchant, and he began calculating, starting with his second sister Li Zhaowen's decoy strategy.

Ten thousand fierce soldiers combined with his father's troops could still fight—Li Jianwen's reluctance gradually faded.

Li Zhaowen and Li Yuanchang departed.

After prolonged negotiations, Li Jianwen exhaled, exhausted—so drained he lacked even the strength to anger, and simply said:

"Truly a shrewd merchant."

"But fifty thousand arrows—needles tipped with wolf-teeth barbs capable of piercing Qi and armor—where would we get so many? Ten thousand wolf-teeth barbed arrows, plus three thousand sets of full cavalry armor, grain, weapons—I'll give you these. Nothing more—we have none."

Li Guanyi looked at Li Jianwen and said: "The city's noble families live in luxury."

Li Jianwen fell silent.

Li Guanyi pressed his hands on the table, leaning forward slightly, imposing a crushing pressure upon Li Jianwen: "At this moment of existential crisis, do you still wish to preserve the hollow harmony among noble houses?"

"Do you intend to conquer the realm with such gentle, slow decorum?"

"The Western Regions, the realm, Saibei, the Jiangnan, the Central Plains—this storm of heaven and earth is not a banquet, not a dance or lute melody."

Li Jianwen felt his last veil torn away; he fell silent for a long while, then said:

"What is your chance of success?"

Li Guanyi replied: "Ten thousand sets of fine battle armor, three thousand of which must be full cavalry armor; ten thousand blades of fine weaponry, strong bows, heavy arrows, large shields; grain and pay sufficient to sustain a ten-thousand-man army on campaign."

"I will bring your father back, whole and unharmed."

A compelling aura, the tide of heaven's destiny, seemed to gather in his words.

Li Jianwen looked at Li Guanyi: "Is this a bargain?"

Li Guanyi said: "No, Elder Brother."

He smiled, his eyes fixed on Li Jianwen:

"This… is a covenant."

Li Jianwen fell silent for a long while, then finally said: "... Fine."

Li Guanyi looked at him, but Li Jianwen felt the merchant was not truly seeing him—Li Guanyi's gaze drifted away, as if gazing upon the mighty Emperor Ying, then turned and strode off, raising his right hand into a fist, and said softly:

"I will keep my word."

"To save your realm's destiny."

Li Jianwen was speechless, suddenly feeling dazed.

The room held only Li Jianwen. He stared at the map—the faint gold script of Li Zhaowen, the crimson trail of Anxi City—now etching two grand strokes into the already turbulent Western Regions.

The storm grew fiercer.

Li Jianwen, once considered quite capable among his peers, suddenly felt overwhelming exhaustion.

Li Zhaowen—and this so-called Central Plains merchant.

The Yu Langwang's son.

Crown Prince Jiang Gao, and the inexplicably risen Jiang Yuan.

And the chaotic Fire Qilin who held sway over Jiangnan.

Li Jianwen suddenly felt the realm's vast, turbulent tide—and with his own mediocre talent, he felt only exhaustion, as if no matter how hard he strained, he could never catch up to them.

"The realm surges, heroes rise—how magnificent."

"For people like us."

"How utterly hopeless…"

Li Jianwen rallied, holding the city firm, ruthlessly silencing noble scions who stirred public opinion, backing Li Zhaowen's strategy, organizing logistics, and soothing the troops' morale. Li Zhaowen offered generous rewards, recruiting brave warriors throughout the city.

He ascended the high platform and declared: "Fight fiercely against the enemy! If you break them, none among you need fear wealth or rank!"

"I shall personally oversee this—no official shall manipulate records or steal your merits."

He further decreed: "For every enemy slain, those without rank shall be promoted directly to seventh grade, granted one hundred bolts of silk; those already ranked shall be elevated accordingly."

More generous than even the Duke, the city's soldiers surged to join. Through repeated screenings of the entire Xiyicheng, only eight hundred men qualified as warriors above the Second Heaven realm.

The Duke's household personally retrieved armor from the armory: Ink-Black Weight armor, known as Xuan Armor.

Wearing Heavy Armor, wielding strong bows and heavy spears, riding Ink-Black steeds.

Even as a decoy strategy, combined with Li Guanyi's forces, it still required a force capable of breaking formations and shattering momentum—Li Zhaowen, valuing kinship, intended to lead the rescue herself.

All preparations complete, Li Zhaowen donned her battle armor and cloak, gripping a long spear, ready to lead the eight hundred—when a voice called: "Second Brother, how martial you look."

Li Zhaowen turned her head.

Li Guanyi, clad in a felt robe, arms crossed, leaned against the pavilion. Li Zhaowen's gaze was calm; she smiled and nodded: "Brother Li, thank you."

Li Guanyi replied: "For what?"

"It's just the terms of the alliance."

"I've gained plenty of benefits too."

Li Zhao Wen replied sincerely: "Even if it's only an alliance, at this critical moment, someone willing to bring troops and coordinate with me to strike at Yemenguan is no ordinary person."

"In this chaotic age, there are countless traitors who break their word."

"Under such circumstances, those who don't kick a man when he's down are already gentlemen—how much more so those who actively lead troops to aid you? Xiyicheng doesn't lack these things; it certainly shouldn't ask Li Brother's forces to charge blindly."

"After this incident, Brother has finally shed his former gentleness and realized that in this chaotic age, you can't follow the eight-hundred-year-old aristocratic rules."

"Only great endeavors can forge a man."

Li Zhao Wen looked at Li Guanyi, his only friend among his peers, and said: "It's a pity—we once swore that when we met again, we'd show each other our true faces—but now this has happened."

Li Guanyi replied: "True faces?"

He pointed at Li Zhao Wen and laughed loudly: "The man I see—broad-minded, spirited, yet Emotionally Weighted—isn't that Li Erlang?"

"I've seen you. I know you."

"What need is there to speak of true faces!"

"For people like us, saying such things only invites laughter."

Li Zhao Wen paused slightly, then laughed freely: "Indeed! Among all the heroes under heaven, only you, Li Brother, truly know me—and only you can always strike right at my heart. This time, I lead eight hundred Xuanjia warriors into battle, uncertain whether I'll live or die."

"But in my heart, I feel utterly exhilarated."

"If I survive this…"

"I'll get thoroughly drunk with you."

Li Zhao Wen walked beside Li Guanyi, clenched his fist, and lightly punched his chest, smiling teasingly:

"Let you see the finest beauty in the world playing the qin."

Li Guanyi replied: "You said no thanks were needed—I've gotten what Anxi needs. This is simply the alliance's requirement. But you've always loved weapons, Wu Gong, and fine steeds—how many divine horses do you have?"

Li Zhao Wen said: "Six divine horses in total."

"If you want one, you may choose one—but if you ask for more, I won't give them."

Li Guanyi said: "Fine. Give me one."

Li Zhao Wen stared, stunned: "You really want one?"

Li Guanyi had rarely seen his free-spirited, generous friend wear such an expression—he could tell this man truly cherished his six divine steeds—and couldn't help bursting into laughter.

"Yes, I do want one—and—"

Li Guanyi reached out, snatched a battle halberd from the nearby training rack, shook his wrist, and swept the halberd sideways—the steel sang like a tiger's low growl: "I'm going with you."

Li Zhao Wen froze: "What?"

Li Guanyi said calmly: "Earlier, I sent troops out of alliance obligation. Now, I go because of our friendship—nothing to do with your title or your Duke's lineage."

"Only because of you."

"When a brother is in peril, how can I stand idly by?"

Li Guanyi planted his weapon upright in the ground, looked at Li Zhao Wen, and smiled: "Let us be true to each other, share life and death together."

"Give me a set of armor."

"With eight hundred men, charge ten thousand."

"You and I go together—what fear is there in ten thousand men?!"

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? Still struggling to regulate my sleep schedule